NFL moves Lions' Week 16 matchup with Buccaneers to Saturday

The Detroit Lions will get another opportunity to play in front of a national television audience before the end of the season. On Monday, the league announced the team's Week 16 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has been moved to Saturday, Dec. 26. 

Additionally, the league shifted Detroit's Week 14 matchup against Green Bay from 1 p.m. to 4:25.  

The game against Tampa Bay will air nationally on the NFL Network at 1 p.m, while being simultaneously broadcast locally on WDIV. It will open a three-game slate that day, followed by San Francisco at Arizona at 4:30 p.m. and Miami at Las Vegas at 8:15 p.m. 

The Lions are coming off their annual nationally televised Thanksgiving broadcast, a 41-25 shellacking at the hands of the Houston Texans. That loss sealed the fate of general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia, who were both fired over the weekend. 

The Buccaneers, a preseason Super Bowl favorite after signing quarterback Tom Brady, are currently in a rut, losing three of their past four after falling to the defending champion Chiefs on Sunday. 

At 7-5, the Buccaneers currently hold the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoff race. They trail the New Orleans Saints by 2.5 games in the NFC South division. 

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